Antelopes die of dehydration

Close to 100 antelopes have perished in the region comprising Jodhpur and Barmer districts of Rajasthan in the past week with a senior forest official citing dehydration as the possible reason for the deaths.

The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in South Asia.

“We identified habitats of antelopes and arranged water but they are so spread out that some places are left out. But now we have made it a point to provide water at every possible place,” Chief Conservator (Wildlife) M L Meena said.

The deaths have mainly occurred in Adarsh Chawa village in Barmer. The villagers allege that there was no sufficient fodder and water for the animals to survive.

On Saturday, a team of forest officials visited another village Bhacharna, where several endangered black buck have died, and conducted post-mortem on five animals, the report of which is awaited, he said.

The scattered carcass of 36 black buck were buried in the presence of the officials.

Meena said though dehydration might be the cause of the deaths, the team sent viscera of the animals to the Wildlife Institutes of Dehradun and Bareilly for detailed testing.

Activists of Bishnoi Tiger Vanya Evam Paryavaran Sanstha held a dharna before the Jodhpur Forest Department office, carrying carcass of 25 chinkaras alleging negligence on the part of authorities.

“We have demanded the removal of the present DFO for his negligence despite the regular deaths due to unavailability of water in the villages,” NGO head Ram Niwas Budhnagar said.